Open Sesame
by benign sadist
Summary: Kaiba and the Ishtars open a new bar just for duelists, the Yamis are loose and doing more than just dreaming of revenge - and the Millennium Rod is missing...(PG for implied violence)
1. Ch 1

Author's Note: OK, I understand. This beginning part really kinda drags on, but it was real fun to write and 'sides, I was sort of proud of the way they all stay more or less in character.**evil laughter** therefore, you will read it, even though less than 1% of it has anything to do with the plot.  
  
Disclaimer: (man, I hate to admit this!) For ALAS! I am in great woe and distress for I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Some rich evil Japanese company with an unpronounceable name does.**sighs theatrically** and 4Kids owns the English anime dub.but life must go on.  
  
Open Sesame  
  
~Chapter 1~  
  
"Move it, you nimrods! We need to get all this junk into the van or we'll be late!" Tristan urged. Yami Bakura glared daggers at the offending being and continued shoving the drumset into the beat-up, rusty '56 van.  
  
"Well, wiseguy, if you would stop barking orders and start helping out here we might get done sooner!" Joey snapped back, shoving his long sweaty bangs out of his eyes. "Speaking of helping, are ya sure your aibou's okay with this, Bakura? I mean, he is missing a big event here-"  
  
"- with food!" called Tristan, who'd rolled up his sleeves and started packing the wires and cords. "Don't forget the food!"  
  
"- yeah, that too.Well?" They both turned towards Bakura, who ran his hand through his lanky hair.  
  
"Ryou needed some time out, and besides, he isn't all into 'loud music'", Bakura flashed a grin reminiscent of a shark, then continued shoving the drums into the van. "Remind me again, why am I doing this?"  
  
"Didn't Ryou explain this to ya already? For Téa, of course!" Joey came over to pack the guitars, "She needs money for that dance school of hers, and this gig will be enough to send her!"  
  
"Yeah, not to mention it'll be our first big paid gig!" Tristan and his buddy slapped high-fives. "I still don't see how Yugi talked creepy Kaiba into it though."  
  
Bakura snorted derisively. "Yugi." He heaved up the last big snare drum, muttering, "I don't do good acts.this is bad for my karma."  
  
"Aww.shucks," Joey grinned, picking up the other side of the drum, "You aren't as bad as ya make yourself out to be."  
  
"Yeah, even if thinking about that night as duel monsters in the Shadow Realm still gives me the creeps." Tristan commented.  
  
Bakura only scowled. "Hey, watch it there-" KA-KLUNK.  
  
"Whoops.sorry Bakura.must've slipped - hey, hold it you psycho! Tristan, a little help here, buddy?!"  
  
~(break)~  
  
Téa eyed herself in the mirror, turning first this way, then that. "Gotta look nice," she told herself. "Should I put on this pair of earrings, or these dangly ones - ?"  
  
The doorbell rang.  
  
"Oh man!" Dangly ones it is, she thought as she raced to get the door, smoothing out her hair and her long black slit skirt on the way. Deep breath, she told herself, and open the door.  
  
"Hey Téa!" smiled Yugi on the doorstep, his Millennium Puzzle around his neck and umbrella in hand, "Wow, you look great!"  
  
"Uhm, thanks Yugi," Téa blushed. Yugi always has something nice to say.  
  
"You don't mind if we walk there, do you?" Yugi shifted the umbrella to accommodate her. "Even though it's kind of drizzly, it's a nice evening outside."  
  
"Oh no, I don't mind at all," Téa hurriedly said. Yugi smiled.  
  
"Let's go, then."  
  
They walked downtown, watching the last bit of sun fade from the buildings and the street lamps coming on.  
  
"So." Téa broke the silence, "What is this mysterious place you're taking me?"  
  
Yugi only shook his head. "It's a surprise, and if I told you it wouldn't be one, would it?" Then he looked straight at Téa. "But you'll like it. I promise."  
  
And I bet I will too, Téa thought, He's always doing something nice for others. And then, walking down the street and passing those big boutique windows, she recalled a scene a few days ago.  
  
.she had just received a letter from the dance school she'd applied to. Elated, the first sentence told her she'd been accepted. Then she read on, and all her dreams came crashing down. There was no way she could pay the school fees; scholarships could only cover so far - and she couldn't possibly ask her mother to give any more.  
  
.Depressed, she'd wandered aimlessly down the street, the gray sky overhead reflecting what she felt. It's all gray, she wanted to cry, It's not fair that I'd worked so hard just to have it all slip through my fingers! Nameless faces were a blur past her, and it was all she could do to blink back Téars of frustration. If only Yugi were here.he'd know how to cheer me up.  
  
.Seated at a booth near a window at a coffee shop minutes later, she'd stared out the window, seeing only shadows and dreams flash by her.I wish Yugi were here, really, even though I know it's selfish to wish so.  
  
.Staring at her hands, she remembered the time when she had drawn the symbol of 'Shining Friendship' on all of her friends' hands: Joey, Tristan, Yugi.Wistfully, she'd placed that hand on the table, envisioning the 'Shining Friendship' that had gotten them through so much.  
  
.and then her hand wasn't alone. Yugi's hand was placed directly across and she looked up, so surprised that he was there for her - just when she was thinking of him! They'd talked, and she poured out her troubles to Yugi's sympathetic ear. Yugi had a way of making people feel better, and he'd invited her to some mysterious place, the place they were heading towards now.  
  
".Téa? Earth to Téa!"  
  
Téa jerked out of her little reverie. Realizing she hadn't been paying attention for the past few minutes, "Oh, I'm sorry, Yugi. I was just thinking."  
  
"It's alright," Yugi reassured her, laughing. "For a moment I was wondering whether you were really in there!" The good mood was contagious, and soon they were both laughing - at what, neither of them were sure.  
  
"And look! Here we are!" Yugi announced.  
  
Téa looked and gasped. " 'The Pharaoh'!? Isn't this the new classy duelist bar that Teen Magazine was raving about?" Yugi nodded, and folding up the wet umbrella, stuffed his hands into his pockets.  
  
"Do you like it?"  
  
She whirled around. "Like it? Yugi, I-" She checked herself and tugged on Yugi's hand. "What are we waiting for?"  
  
  
  
Ok.that was short.next chappie will be MUCH longer. Review if you want, it's perfectly okay with me if you just want to read it.^^ The title will make more sense as the story moves on. 


	2. Ch 2

Yeah, yeah, I realize I've still gotten Nowhere near the main plot.but bear with me cause all this is fun to write sooo~  
  
Disclaimer: (I hate these. Are these really necessary after Ch. 1??) I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters thereof (though if someone would buy them for me, I'll take 'em!), neither do I own Lenny Kravitz's song 'Dig In' which I've splurged and used here, and um, I don't own duel monsters either. **sigh**  
  
Now, Onwards!  
  
  
  
Open Sesame  
  
~Chapter2~  
  
It was one of those dark drizzly nights where the night lights were hazily reflected in the puddles on the streets. The light rain coursed down the glass window of the sleek black Kaiba limo, and Mokuba had his face pressed up against it, squinting out.  
  
"Are we there yet, big brother?"  
  
Seto looked up from the laptop and Kaiba Corp transactions, smiling fondly at his excited younger brother. "No, not yet Mokuba. And if you don't sit back properly, you're going to fall and get hurt."  
  
Mokuba flopped back with a whuff, then bounced back up. "Is everybody gonna be there? Are you going to duel? And what about Yugi? Seto!" he fixed the elder Kaiba with a glare until Seto looked up again.  
  
"I've sent invitations to all of our friends; they should all be coming. No, I don't think I'll be dueling tonight. And Yugi." He didn't know whether he counted Yugi as a rival or a friend. Being crowned King of Games at the Duelist Kingdom, Yugi Mutou posed a threat to his own standing. But then, without Yugi he wouldn't have been able to save Mokuba and he would still be trapped in a card.  
  
"He IS coming, right?" Mokuba cut into his thoughts, prodding his laptop.  
  
Seto closed the laptop with a click, smiled again and said, "Of course. He wouldn't miss the grand opening of a duelist bar for anything." A bar/nightclub just for serious duelists to exchange cards, news, swap strategies and get together, have a good time. And duel, of course. He had been the spearhead of the whole enterprise, with all the resources of Kaiba Corp at his call, Isis and Malik Ishtar being the other patrons. Malik had been called away to Egypt on family business, but Isis should be there.  
  
"Is that it, Seto? Wow, look at the crowd!" As the limo glided towards the main entrance, he winced at the sight of so many people. He wasn't really thrilled about all this publicity. The chauffeur brought the car to a smooth stop and as soon as the doorboy had the door open, Mokuba bounced out, exuberant. Seto got out and glanced around at The Pharaoh - Duelists' Bar. The Ishtars, insisting that duel monsters had originated in ancient Egypt, not to mention they had their roots there too, had put the name forward. 'Pharaoh' meant 'great house' after all. He gave the doorboy a generous tip - the kid was trying to answer all of Mokuba's questions - and headed on in.  
  
Even though he knew they were early, the nightclub was already well over half full. The dueling elite had all been invited and he could see some talking about dueling right then and there. In contrast with the brightly lit exterior, the inside of The Pharaoh was shadowy, the blue lights creating a slightly mysterious atmosphere. Here and there golden lights illuminated the mini dueling arenas, not yet open to the public but already attracting groups of eager duelists. Classy and casual with style, the whole place had a slight Egyptian feel to it, the showcases lining the walls displaying rare and powerful cards as well as models of the seven legendary Millennium Items.  
  
"Seto, c'mon!" Mokuba tugged on his sleeve. "Let's go sit over here! I've never been on a real bar stool before!"  
  
Kaiba helped his younger brother up onto a nearby bar stool, where he twirled around enthusiastically. The bartender looked a bit dubious at this when he walked over, but Seto threw him a meaningful glance and he was all smiles.  
  
"So, young fella, what'll it be tonight?"  
  
Mokuba beamed, looking up at his older brother, "Can I order anything I want, big brother?" Seto hesitated for a moment, but then nodded encouragingly.  
  
"No alcohol," he stated firmly, then muttered under his breath, "Goodness knows you don't need any."  
  
Mokuba scowled momentarily. "I heard that, Seto." Then he brightened up when he saw the list of drinks. "I'll have, uh, that one!" He pointed to a long and complicated name of a drink. Seto sighed with relief when he saw the words '.ice cream milkshake' at the end of it. He nodded to the bartender, who jotted it down.  
  
"And you, sir?"  
  
"A martini on the rocks."  
  
As the barkeep bustled away, Mokuba spun round and round happily. "Why don't grown-ups do this if they're the only ones allowed on the seat?" he chirruped. "They don't know what they're missing!"  
  
"You better stop that before you throw up," Seto reprimanded, "You'll get dizzy."  
  
"Okay, big brother." As he spun to a halt, he said, "Look! Isn't that Isis over there in the corner?"  
  
Kaiba looked up and caught Isis' eye. She waved regally, and he nodded to her. "Right you are, Mokuba. That was Isis."  
  
"What're those people doing at the side entrance over there, Seto?"  
  
"Fighting already?" Kaiba frowned. The Pharaoh's security should've been able to quiet that kind of tussle in no time. "I should've known," he said annoyed, "Mai Valentine would cause this kind of trouble." He stood up and told Mokuba, "Stay right where you are and don't cause any mischief." With that, he headed in the direction of the tussle.  
  
"Well, I don't see why I can't get in, after all, I was a finalist in the Duelist Kingdom! Get your hands off me you losers!" Mai's voice carried all too well. Kaiba grimaced. Another one to be quieted. "So I forgot the stupid invitation. Big deal. The main thing is, I'm here now, and I'm going in."  
  
"What seems to be the problem here?" As if I needed to ask, he thought sourly. The head of security shifted uncomfortably. "Ah, sir, this woman here claims she misplaced her invitation, and I was under strict rules to let in only those with invitations." Kaiba nodded, eying Mai doubtfully.  
  
"Hello there, Kaiba hon, I know you could tell them I'm supposed to be here." Mai tapped her foot impatiently. "Hurry up with it, will you? I haven't got all night, you know."  
  
He restrained the urge to strangle this woman and managed a grim smile at the head of security. "Let her in. I mailed off the invitations to the top duelists personally. I can vouch for her." Anything to get her quiet.  
  
Shooting an 'I-told-you-so' glance over her shoulder at the guards, Mai sauntered in. "Nice place you got here, hon."  
  
He gritted his teeth. "Yes." Spotting Mokuba peering into his martini from afar, he hastily excused himself. "Mokuba!"  
  
Mokuba started guiltily. "I just wanted to know what your weird drink was made of, big brother. You always said learning was important."  
  
"Yes, but you can learn that later. Why don't you finish off that ice cream before it all melts?"  
  
"So Kaiba does have a soft side, doesn't he?" drawled Mai as she (to Kaiba's dismay) slid into the seat on the other side of Mokuba.  
  
"My big brother is always nice," asserted the younger Kaiba confidently, twirling the mini umbrella from his drink.  
  
"I'm sure of that." Mai raised an eyebrow, but thankfully, refrained from further comment. To the bartender, she said, "A Bloody Mary, and make that snappy."  
  
"We'll talk about that later, Mokuba, all right?" Seto said hurriedly, forseeing Mokuba's curious reaction to Mai's order. To Kaiba's relief, Mokuba turned his attention to the dripping chocolate syrup that was all over his ice cream.  
  
The stage was a state-of-the-art platform, which also doubled as a dueling arena, but right now technicians were scurrying across it, wiring up the amps in preparation for the night's performance. Off to a side, three odd yet familiar figures were seen lugging equipment around clumsily, and occasionally one yelped in pain.  
  
"I do hope tonight's performance will be good," Mai sniffed, eying the three skeptically, "Those movers you hired might ruin it all by themselves." Then, as a blue spotlight glanced off a head of unruly blond hair, a recognizable voice yelled, "You clumsy oaf! Watch where you're going with my guitar ~~~ow!"  
  
"Joey Wheeler?!" Now Mai's face was filled with disbelief. "What is that dueling monkey doing here?"  
  
For once, Kaiba had to agree with Mai's assessment of Joey. "You're looking at tonight's performers, Mai." Satisfied at her horrified reaction, he took a sip of his drink. "Him?!" Mai was struck speechless. "Well, let's hope he plays a heck of a lot better than he can duel, hon, or tonight is dead."  
  
Mokuba waved at the entrance. "Look! That's Yugi and Téa! They're here too!" In the dim doorway, Kaiba could just make out two figures, one with very distinctive tricolor hair, and both were waving enthusiastically back.  
  
"C'mon and sit with us!" Mokuba called out as soon as they were in hearing range. Téa led the way and soon the pair was chatting amicably with Mai and Mokuba. "Kaiba, when I got the invitation I never guessed it was going to turn out this great!" Yugi complimented. "So, how's everything going?"  
  
"Fine." Kaiba responded, still glancing at the struggling trio onstage. "So far." Cymbals clashed discordantly in the background.  
  
Looking in the direction of Kaiba's murderous glare, Yugi reassured, "They're good, don't worry. They'll keep their part of the bargain just fine. Trust them."  
  
"Oh look! There's Bakura! And Tristan too!" Téa got up and waved to her friends, who had now finally gotten their instruments into some semblance of order. They all waved back, even the disgruntled Bakura.  
  
"Huh." Mai rolled her eyes, swirling her drink around, "And what are you doing here, Dino Breath?" Rex Raptor had been trying to get her attention for the past few moments. "Get your sorry behind outta here hon, before I do something about it."  
  
"I didn't know I'd be seeing you here, Mai," gushed Rex, pathetically attempting to act macho and cool. Next to him, Weevil Underwood was complaining about the music and tugging unhappily at his bow tie.  
  
"Get lost, loser. I don't have time for lowlifes like you, especially not for ones who don't even have any fashion sense."  
  
The curtains had closed, and the MC was tapping the mike. ".Testing.testing.1..2.3.eeeEERRRWWwwwuggggnnnn" the loudspeaker groaned, making everyone wince and glare at the poor MC. Backstage, a voice could be heard saying, "Tristan, you'll bust our eardrums!" "Oops. Oh well."  
  
"Heh." The MC straightened his jacket nervously, then said, "Well, now that I have all of your attention.Good evening fellow duelists, and welcome to the opening ceremony of The Pharaoh! .yadayada." Sensing after a minute or two that he was losing the audience's attention, he quickly wrapped up with, ".And now, without further ado, let's welcome the persons who have made this duelists' dream reality - Will Ms. Isis Ishtar and Mr. Seto and Mokuba Kaiba come onstage please?"  
  
A red ribbon materialized across the stage and on the count of three, the three founders cut the ribbon to the audience's loud applause. Mai shoved Rex Raptor off the seat and commented, "About time they started too."  
  
Now everyone with reserved seats at tables in front of the stage seated themselves, and the rest stationed themselves around the club, craning their necks to see what tonight's entertainment might be. The MC dusted himself off superfluously, and announced, "Annndd now, please put your hands together for 500MM!!!"  
  
The audience clapped on reflex; most of them wondering What in the World was 500MM? But then the curtains parted to reveal the band in all of their black leather glory: Joey standing center stage, sporting a red-and-black electric guitar and looking very uncharacteristically professional; Tristan off to a side, playing bass and hair slicked back; Yami Bakura looking evil sitting behind the steel drumset, holding the drum sticks like they were weapons.  
  
Joey was loving the attention. He walked right up to the MC, snatched the mike (forgetting he had a headset on), and bellowed, "Yo! Duelists! Are ya ready to rock and rumble~???" Sheesh, he sweated inwardly, What if we're a flop? What if no one likes us? What if -  
  
For a very tense moment for those onstage, the audience was completely silent. Yami Bakura scowled.  
  
"Go Joey! Go Tristan! You can rock, Bakura!" Someone at a front table was yelling, and standing up. A very familiar blonde stood up at the bar, and began clapping. "You show 'em, hon!"  
  
Within seconds, the whole nightclub had erupted into noise, applause and whooping. It took a full minute for the MC to quiet the audience enough to begin the music.  
  
Yami Bakura began whacking away on the drums.  
  
"It's time to face and come-on in and join the party  
  
Life has been waiting for you to care  
  
Don't try to fake it, jump on in and get it started  
  
There's so much lovin for you to share !"  
  
"Well, who would've guessed that dueling monkey could sing?" mused Mai admiringly.  
  
"Mokuba, don't sing with your mouth full," Kaiba said, handing his little jumping brother a napkin. "So the puppy dog can yap better than he can duel."  
  
  
  
"There is nowhere to run  
  
There is no way to hide  
  
Don't let it beat you  
  
Say 'nice to meet you' and 'bye'  
  
Once you dig in  
  
You'll find it coming out the other side  
  
And once you dig in  
  
You'll find you'll have yourself a good time  
  
Wake up and shake it, you didn't make your contribution  
  
There ain't no time for you to spare  
  
If you ain't part of the game then how can you find a solution  
  
Nobody said that it would be fair  
  
When the mountain is high  
  
Just look up to the sky  
  
Ask God to teach you  
  
Then persevere with a smile  
  
Yeah yeah yeah  
  
Once you dig in  
  
You'll find it coming out the other side  
  
And once you dig in  
  
You'll find you'll have yourself a good time  
  
Once you dig in  
  
You'll find it coming out the other side  
  
And once you dig in  
  
You'll find you'll have yourself a good time  
  
  
  
Once you dig in  
  
Yeah yeah yeah  
  
And once you dig in  
  
You're gonna have yourself a good time  
  
  
  
Once you dig in  
  
Once you dig in  
  
You'll find it coming out the other side  
  
And once you dig in  
  
  
  
Instant silence.  
  
"D'you think they liked it?" muttered a nervous Tristan to Yami Bakura, who shrugged and said,  
  
"I liked it. That's all that matters."  
  
"I sure hope they did too." Even Joey was looking more worried than cocky.  
  
Then the place roared its approval.  
  
"Encore!"  
  
"Wow, you guys rock!"  
  
"MORE!! MORE!!" Mokuba banged his fist on the table, narrowly missing his brother's glass. "Oops. Sorry big brother." Even Kaiba was clapping, albeit a little grudgingly.  
  
At Yugi's table, both he and Téa were giving their friends a standing ovation, beaming like proud parents. "C'mon over and sit with us!" called Yugi, gesturing towards the empty seats. Joey could only nod.  
  
Mokuba tugged on Kaiba's sleeve. "Seto, let's go sit with them too!"  
  
"Don't you think you should ask Yugi first?" Kaiba floundered for a plausible excuse, but to no avail. Mokuba had already single-handedly dragged both big brother and table over to Yugi's, who looked pleasantly surprised.  
  
"Glad you decided to join us, Kaiba!"  
  
Kaiba muttered something unintelligible.  
  
"What was that? I didn't quite catch what you were saying..."  
  
"I said, That was a good show, Yugi!" Kaiba said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Big brother, this is the best time I've ever had!!" trilled Mokuba, eyes shining as he hugged Kaiba. Whatever misgivings Kaiba still held dissolved, Mokuba's happy excitement being contagious, and he smiled, a real genuine smile.  
  
"Me too, Mokuba, me too." he said softly.  
  
The rest of the night passed by in a blur of happiness, color and loud music. In between performances by other groups, the teens at the two tables talked and laughed freely, discussing everything from dance to food to music, and inevitably, to duel monsters.  
  
".and then, you wouldn't believe what Tristan did next, the big doofus." Joey was well into a funny tale about his taller buddy.  
  
"Oh yeah, well at least I didn't lose five times in a row to Téa playing Duel Monsters!"  
  
"Tristan, I'd like to see you try and beat her!"  
  
"All right, maybe I will. And watch me win, buddy.'cause that's what I'm gonna do as soon as I finish this piece of cake."  
  
"You better get your deck ready, Téa, he'll be done with it in less than 4 seconds," Yugi teased.  
  
Téa rolled her eyes and smiled fiercely back. "Ready when you are, Tristan."  
  
Mai sighed. "At least Joseph had the sense to admit to female superiority. You go show him, hon."  
  
"A duel! A duel!" Mokuba leaned over from his perch on his older brother's lap to get a better look. Yami Bakura, seated right next to him, scowled but moved over for the eager kid.  
  
A man in a suit walked over to the table just as Téa's Magician of Faith crushed Tristan's Cyber Commander. "Mr. Kaiba, sir? The mini dueling stations have been opened.your reserved table is waiting."  
  
Seto nodded to the man, who left. To Yugi, he said, "I've reserved one of the dueling stations that are over there.care to 'consecrate' one with its first duel?"  
  
Yugi's eyes lit up, but he shook his head. "No.I'd prefer not. All of our duels have been in anger, or at least ended on a bad note."  
  
"And 'sides, you two'd be hoggin' all the spotlight. So ." Joey, still cocky after his first successful performance, stood up and looked pointedly at Kaiba, ".what do ya say to concluding some unfinished business between us?"  
  
Mokuba glanced from Joey's grin to the beginnings of a sneer on his brother's face, and then bounced up. "I'll duel you! And I'll cream you!"  
  
The tall blonde looked surprised that the younger Kaiba had taken up his challenge. "But Mokuba.. you."  
  
"What's the matter, Joseph, are you scared of losing to a little kid half your size?" Mai purred, enjoying the sight of Joey looking uncomfortable.  
  
"Can the puppy dog live up to his challenge, or is he going to back away with his tail between his legs.again?" Kaiba's eyes had turned back into cold blue stone.  
  
Joey clenched his fists. Beside him, the Téa vs. Tristan duel ground to a stop. The happy atmosphere of before was turning into something ugly and Yugi didn't like it one bit. "Oh I can take on your little brother just fine," Joey spat, "Tell ya what, I'll even let ya do some backseat dueling for him! Just lead the way to the table."  
  
"OK!" Mokuba bounded ahead, forcing cheerfulness. If Seto duels him, it'll turn really bad, and then no one would be happy.this way, at least I can make things a little better. "You sit here." He poked the red seat of the table to emphasize his point, then dug out the deck Seto had helped him put together. Fixing the uncomfortable Joey with a fierce gaze reminiscent of the elder Kaiba, he announced, "Let's duel!"  
  
As the duel progressed, the tension slowly evaporated and soon Joey found that dueling Mokuba wasn't as easy as it first appeared, even without Kaiba guiding the kid. Joey winced as his Rock Ogre got turned into dust.  
  
"Did I do that right, big brother?" Mokuba looked up at Seto, who was standing behind him, arms crossed and glaring daggers at Joey. He nodded approvingly. Mokuba really didn't need all that much help from him.  
  
"Aw, man, I let him do that," Joey bragged, slapping down another card face down and a new monster in attack mode. "Let's see how you do against this!"  
  
In the end, with a lot of hard work and a little luck, Joey managed to beat the younger Kaiba, who scowled and said, "Oh, I'll get you next time, 'cause my big brother's gonna teach me more about duel monsters. And then you won't be letting me anything!"  
  
Catching the murderous face of Seto Kaiba, Yugi quickly said, "Hey guys, look! Some other group is getting ready to perform! Why don't we go sit back down and enjoy the rest of the evening?"  
  
"Yes, let's!" Téa agreed, shooting Tristan a glance, "Besides, Tristan and I have a duel to finish."  
  
"Oh, really?" Tristan whistled and feigned amnesia, "Really?"  
  
"Yeah and she was beatin' ya, worse than she beat me the first time too!" Joey punched his pal on the shoulder.  
  
"Was not!"  
  
"Was too!"  
  
"You wanna settle this outside, bud?"  
  
  
  
Isis watched everything from her private table in a corner, smiling to herself. She was happy at the way things turned out after Battle City, how everybody seemed so happy and content with their lot. Suddenly, she sensed something, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.a disturbance in the Shadow Realm? On impulse, she touched the Millennium Tauk, and then -  
  
Malik? -  
  
Her cell phone vibrated.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Isis! This is Malik"  
  
"Malik? I thought you were in Cairo? What's wrong?"  
  
"Just this: I saw the Millennium Rod in Egypt."  
  
"Impossible! I locked it away in the security vaults, after, after."  
  
"I know, but remember the theft incident? The one weeks ago, when someone tried to steal that artifact on display, the Anubis Crown. Ever since then, I had this feeling that whatever we'd locked up in the vaults.it wasn't the Rod."  
  
"Are you sure about this? But the thief had wanted the Anubis Crown, not the Rod.and only you and I know where the Rod is."  
  
"I just have this feeling that It's loose again." An uncomfortable silence followed this statement. "And then I saw it in Egypt."  
  
"Malik, I" The phone bleeped call waiting, and she said quickly, "Hang on, someone else is calling in - Hello? Who is this?"  
  
"Miss Ishtar, this is Ramón, from the Museum security. I'm afraid there's been another break-in.and this time the rogue got what he wanted."  
  
"He stole the Anubis Crown," Isis said flatly.  
  
"Y-yes."  
  
By Ra! But what if Malik was right about the Millennium Rod too. "Ramón, keep the security tight around the Museum. By no means let anyone, I repeat, anyone past until I get there."  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
She switched back to Malik's line. "Malik.there's been another break- in at the Museum, and they've got the Anubis Crown. Listen, how fast can you get here from Cairo?"  
  
"I still have some unfinished business here that requires seeing to, but in a day or two, give or take a couple of hours."  
  
"Get here as soon as possible.I think you may be right." Ra forbid.  
  
She got up and prepare to leave, pondering whether she should tell Kaiba and Yugi.especially Yugi about this. After all, Yugi's Millennium item might cast some additional light onto this mess.  
  
"Later," she decided. First to deal with this theft.  
  
  
  
By the time the performance was over, Joey and Tristan were too full to even argue anymore, Yami Bakura was slumped scowling in a tilted back seat, fingers twitching as if he wanted to snatch the Millennium Puzzle and strangle Yugi with it, and Mokuba was curled up in his big brother's lap, sleeping.  
  
"Aww.look.Mokuba's asleep!" Téa remarked softly.  
  
"Yes." Kaiba gazed fondly at his little brother, then said abruptly, "It's way past his bedtime, we should be going now."  
  
Yugi nodded. "Thanks for everything, Kaiba. And while I still remember.we -my grandpa and me that is - are going to have a bake sale at the game shop tomorrow. If you or Mokuba want to come, you're welcome anytime. It starts at 10 a.m."  
  
"We'll see." Kaiba knew Mokuba would be begging to go, but. He picked up the sleeping kid easily and headed towards the exit.  
  
"'Bye Mokuba," Téa called out softly. To Yugi, she said, "Kaiba was actually decent tonight."  
  
Yugi only nodded.  
  
  
  
"A call for you, Master Kaiba, sir." The chauffeur held the door open for the tall boy and his brother. "You told us you turned your phone off for tonight." "Yes, I'll take it now. Line 1?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Hello, Kaiba speaking." He listened attentively for a few moments, frowning. "Yes, I see how that can pose a problem. I'll see what I can do.No, I left early too" a glance at Mokuba stirring in his sleep "I'll be there tomorrow at, say, 3 p.m. Goodnight."  
  
Mokuba yawned sleepily and mumbled, "Wh-what was that, Seto? Are we going h-home now?"  
  
Seto smiled and tucked his coat over the younger kid. "That was Isis. Something bad happened and she wanted me in charge for a while tomorrow. Go back to sleep, we'll be home before you know it."  
  
Mokuba yawned again and snuggled next to his brother. "Okay Seto."  
  
  
  
Oookay, I understand that virtually everyone in YGO is underage and therefore should not be drinking, but hey~ Author Liberties!! So only Mokuba is underage here. I don't know a lot **koff** about the Ishtars etc so if anyone Out There has any info, you have my Eternal Gratitude. ^^ Again, review if you want. I'm just doing this for the heck of it. And YES the pace will begin to pick up. Hopefully.  
  
Oh and by the way, the 'Dig In' song was really random (actually so was the band name). I just saw the gang bashing away at it when I heard the music. And then etc etc. Yami Bakura on the drums would be awesome, don't you think? 


	3. Ch 3

Guess what? The plot is FINALLY heading somewhere (took me a while to sort out, but yeah) and action's FINALLY beginning, but first, to get that Hated Disclaimer out of the way~  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any character in it thereof. And oh, I DO own Yami B's drumset though~ **wink**  
  
Enjoy. Review if you want. Flame if you want. Then I'll know what to brush up on.  
  
---the next morning at Bakura's house---  
  
Yami Bakura yawned. Dang, his aibou woke way too early for his taste. Young mortals these days.when he was over 3000 years old, he would know the value of a good day's sleep. What was that wimp doing now? Making pancakes?! He growled. So did his stomach, but his aibou was whistling cheerfully, thinking about how Yugi and his friends would be at the Turtle Game Shop later today.  
  
Yugi meant the Millennium Puzzle, one of the seven goals that had kept him going these last thousands of years. Ahh.with new day comes a whole new perspective and a new chance at power. Smiling to himself, he decided to leave his aibou be for now. For once his aibou was obeying, and besides, the pancakes did smell good.  
  
Ryou Bakura was just dishing up the first five golden pancakes when the doorbell rang and Yugi poked his tricolored head in.  
  
"Morning Bakura! I just came by to remind you of the bake sale later today!"  
  
"Thanks, mate, how could I forget? Won't you come in? I've made pancakes." Ryou led the way to the small but neat kitchen.  
  
"Wow!" Yugi seated himself, admiring the array of breakfast foods spread on the table. "Do you cook like this all the time Bakura? I didn't know you ate this much every morning." He began loading his plate with eggs and bacon as well as the pancakes.  
  
"That's because I know people like you drop by, and you never forget to bring your appetites!" Ryou plonked the maple syrup down, and as if on cue, the doorbell rang again.  
  
"Hey, Bakura! We smell pancakes~" Joey called out from the entrance, his voice carrying to the two seated friends.  
  
Behind him, Tristan could be heard saying, "Yeah and I thought friends shared."  
  
"You two think with your stomachs," scolded Téa as the three friends trooped in. "Oh my, Bakura! This looks like you were expecting us!"  
  
"Well, we all know only one thing could get Joey to wake up before noon.and that's Ryou's cooking!"  
  
Joey, with his mouth full, prodded Tristan with a fork. "Hey, and look who's talkin'."  
  
For the next few minutes, nothing was heard but the clink of cutlery and Joey and Tristan's loud appreciative eating. Yugi and Téa sat in stunned silence as plate after plate of food disappeared down Joey and Tristan's mouths at an alarming rate.  
  
"Sometimes, I wonder why they even bother using knives and forks," Yugi commented.  
  
"Pigs," Téa teased, then asked worriedly, "Bakura, are you sure there's enough for all of us?"  
  
Ryou nodded, and wiping his hands on his apron, went to fetch some more. "I expected this," he explained as he came out with another huge platter of sausages.  
  
"Alright!!" cheered Joey and Tristan, "More food!"  
  
"Bakura, what's all that sitting on the counter top over there.?" Téa asked, peering beyond the dining room.  
  
"Uhm." Bakura scratched his face. "I just thought that, if you're going to have a bake sale Yugi, why don't I contribute some too? We are friends after all."  
  
"That's really nice of you Bakura! Wow, with your baked goodies, I bet we'll have enough money raised in no time!" Yugi caught a glimpse of a plate of triple chocolate brownies. "Just.keep them away from" he pointed discreetly towards the guzzling pair and mouthed their names "them," he finished vaguely.  
  
Bakura snuck a quick glance, then shut the door to the kitchen in one swift move, nodding furtively.  
  
Half an hour and 20 so helpings of food later, Joey and Tristan finally showed signs of slowing down.  
  
"Man, am I stuffed!" Joey mumbled, patting himself on the stomach. "Hey, Yug'! I don't think I'll be able to eat as much during the bake sale!"  
  
"That's a relief," commented Téa, raising her eyebrows.  
  
Yugi nodded and said briskly, "Well, we better get going if this bake sale is starting on time. Grandpa said he'd be waiting at the game shop with all the stuff."  
  
"I-can't- move." grunted Tristan, reduced to painful monosyllables. "Help?"  
  
"Yeah, somebody lend a hand here.I thought we were all buddies!"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Téa asked, "Bakura, do you have any carts we could use to wheel them away?"  
  
"Aw, c'mon, we're not that stuffed, see, I can still get up - nevermind," Joey flumped back onto the chair, groaning. "Bakura, get us some nice, cushioned carts, ok?"  
  
  
  
Yami Bakura rummaged through his aibou's mind. One of the perks of his day was seeing what his aibou was up to: hmm, let's see, cooking again?! More cupcakes.cookies.again the bake sale at the Turtle Game Shop later this morning. Pathetic.as usual. He wondered idly if all young mortals' live were like this, so bland.  
  
He yawned again, and got up. The room was dimly lit and the torchlight threw reddish-gold silhouettes on the carvings of the walls. My glorious past.he thought sarcastically. Ah, there the drums were. Fascinating how far these mortals had come. Who'd have thought a simple thing as drums could be so improved? He still remembered the solemn thump-thump of the ritual drums so long ago and he winced. He loved the way people now smashed irreverently on these new creations.  
  
Instinct told him something - someone - was behind him, and he tensed.  
  
"Hello, 'old friend'."  
  
Yami Bakura whirled around angrily at the sound of the oh-so familiar voice. " 'Friend'?" he sneered. "What brought you here? You who cannot even control your pathetic aibou anymore."  
  
"I no longer need an aibou," the hazy swathed shape of Yami Malik drawled back maliciously.  
  
"Why now, let me see," Yami Bakura scornfully turned back to his drums. "No, you just need my help. Am I right?"  
  
"Help wouldn't be the word I'd use, considering the help you were last time. 'Warning' would be the most appropriate."  
  
"Indeed. I beg to differ."  
  
"Amusing, isn't it?" A dry laugh escaped Yami Malik. "It's about to get even better." Suddenly Yami Bakura found himself a mere onlooker within his own body, watching himself hurling his beloved drums against the walls of his soul room. They smashed into a thousand shards and vanished.  
  
"What manner of joke is this?" he snarled, twitching his fingers, which were now under his control again. Then he saw Yami Malik twirling the Millennium Rod tauntingly. "Impossible! We cannot control our own Millennium Items. Only through an aibou can we do anything with it." He trailed off in slight shock.  
  
"I told you it was going to get amusing." The purple eyes narrowed to calculating slits. "You failed me last time, grave robber. I'm going to give you a second chance to reconsider the alternatives. Let me ask you once more: Are you with me or against me?"  
  
Yami Bakura got up from the floor cautiously, his trademark sneer reappearing on his face. "With you to do what? 'Destroy the world and create a new one using the Millennium Items'?" he said in a sardonic imitation of Yami Malik's voice.  
  
"I have found another way. Once the Shadow Realm's gates are thrown open, the Millennium Items will be obsolete."  
  
The ex-tomb robber really laughed this time. "And how, pray tell, do you intend to accomplish that feat? And without an aibou?"  
  
"I need something that was once mine back." With an almost paternal look, Yami Malik smiled at his old associate. "How lucky you are to get the job. Stealing after all seems to be your forte."  
  
The Yamis glared at each other for a while, then the white-haired one smirked evilly and remarked, "The deal remains, then?"  
  
"All seven. Fulfill your side of the bargain first, then they're yours for the taking."  
  
Yami Bakura considered this, the smile on his face growing wider. "How do you want him? Knocked senseless and dragged here? Or do you prefer insanely paralyzed?"  
  
"Be creative. As long as he's in once piece, for my purposes."  
  
"Done."  
  
All alone again in his soul room, Yami Bakura rubbed his hands together and said, "My, what fun we're going to have."  
  
  
  
Ryou Bakura carefully balanced four pies and two platters of cupcakes/brownies/cookies and whistled cheerfully as he set out for the bake sale. What fun we're going to have, he thought happily.  
  
"Hey look, there's the pies!" Joey had his face pressed up against the window of the shop, chef's hat haphazardly on his floury head.  
  
"Dibs on the pies!"  
  
".and the cookies."  
  
"Dibs on the cookies!"  
  
Yugi peered out and opened the door to a beaming Bakura. "You mean Bakura's here!"  
  
"Honestly, do you boys think about anything else besides food?" Téa tsked as she took Bakura's creations and placed them in a place of honor on the kitchen counter.  
  
"Big brother, there they are! Hey Yugi! Hey JoeyTristanTéaBakura~~" Mokuba bounced into the shop, rattling off all his friends' names without pausing for breath. Behind, Kaiba followed at a statelier pace, still blinking back sleep, familiar silver briefcase in hand.  
  
Yugi laughed. "Morning, Mokuba, Kaiba. I didn't expect to see you two here so early."  
  
"Actually, neither did I," muttered Kaiba under his breath, but said aloud, "I'm afraid I won't be able to help out as much. I still have some unfinished business to handle, and it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible."  
  
"I knew him comin' to this just to help was too good to be true," jeered Joey, but stopped when Kaiba turned his glare on him.  
  
"Some of us have a bit more responsibility to shoulder than others, puppy dog, and considering you have a hard enough time taking care of yourself, I'm not surprised you can't understand that."  
  
Joey had opened his mouth to deliver a blistering retort to that when Bakura came to the rescue and jammed a fresh-baked cookie into his mouth. "Umph."  
  
"Well, I didn't expect so many to show up to help!" Yugi's Gramps appeared in the doorway, wiping his hands on a towel and beaming at the hyper Mokuba. To Kaiba, he said, "I think we do have a small storeroom over here where you can work in relative peace and quiet."  
  
"Seto, promise me you're not gonna stay and work all day cooped up in there." Mokuba pleaded, big eyes shining. "Promise?"  
  
"I.oh, all right. I promise." With a final tousling of his younger brother's hair, the CEO disappeared into the side room.  
  
"Thank goodness." Téa commented in an undertone to Bakura. "I don't think I could stand working with Joey all day, let alone 'him'." Bakura nodded emphatically.  
  
"So Mokuba, you ready to start baking?" Yugi asked, tying a white oversized apron onto the younger Kaiba.  
  
"Yeah!" He sat himself on a tall stool to reach the countertop. " I've never baked anything seriously before though," Mokuba said as an afterthought.  
  
Joey grinned. "You'll be all right, kiddo. Just follow everything the Great Gourmet Chef Joey Wheeler does and you'll do fine!"  
  
" 'Great Gourmet Chef'?! Since when?" Téa asked, feigning shock.  
  
"It's a, erm, hidden talent of mine!"  
  
"Hidden talent? More like, lack of talent!" Tristan joined the Joey-bashing with gusto.  
  
"Hey watch it, smart-mouth."  
  
  
  
God, he had a headache. He had no idea what was going on with the Ishtars, but someone had been seriously messing up their records. Maybe that was why Isis wanted him to take over for a while. Kaiba frowned as his laptop brought up screen after screen of incompatible data.  
  
The Ishtars had branches and historical sites located everywhere. This latest robbery had only been one in a chain of seemingly unrelated ones. But that wasn't his problem.Isis had seemed worried about someone tampering with the security surrounding these files. While waiting for the link to bring up the numerical data, he smiled as he listened to Mokuba laugh. It was worth working in what resembled the Motou family broom closet if it made Mokuba happy.  
  
The door opened and Kaiba looked up, a stinging remark on the tip of his tongue. Bakura walked in and placed a cup of coffee on his makeshift 'desk'. "Sorry to interrupt. You looked like you needed one of these, that's all."  
  
Kaiba just glared as Bakura turned to go. Then, remembering what Mokuba said about being nice to his friends, muttered, "Thanks." He picked up that blessed dose of caffeine and thought briefly, maybe Mokuba was right after all about Yugi and Co.  
  
"It's nothing, really."  
  
Kaiba had just turned his attention back to the screen when he heard a definite click behind him. Had the idiot albino locked him in? No, he was still standing there.but that didn't justify that expression on his face. "What do you want now?"  
  
Bakura advanced towards him, a hand behind his back, and Kaiba decided he really didn't like that smile. Bakura's eyes had narrowed into slits. "What do I want? I think you'll understand better if I show you instead of telling you." His hand shot out and he twisted the taller boy's arm behind his back, quicker than Kaiba could anticipate.  
  
"Are you out of your mind?! What the heck do you think you're doing?" Kaiba knew Yugi liked hanging around mentally unstable people, but this was a bit extreme. "You're asking for this, Bakura."  
  
"Am I?" The other hand flicked out and drew a line down Kaiba's arm with a knife that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Blood began staining the sleeve, and the white haired boy shoved Kaiba down almost casually.  
  
He's enjoying this, grimaced Kaiba, enraged. Forget why, this nutcase was going to pay dearly for his moment of amusement. He lunged, and with his good arm threw a punch at Bakura, who was now peering down at him.  
  
Bakura only stepped aside and grabbed the wounded arm, which was now bleeding freely, and twisted it, smiling all the while. Kaiba clenched his teeth. Damn if I'm going to give in to this freak. His second punch was a lot better than his first and Bakura staggered back, doubling over. Kaiba was ready to knock him out when Bakura looked up and smiled in that new, deranged way of his.  
  
All of a sudden his vision blurred and pain stabbed his forehead, forcing him to his knees. Things swam in and out of focus between Technicolor fireworks, his arm and his head throbbing. He blinked and his vision cleared, but he wasn't seeing the Game Shop, or Bakura.it was some strange temple affair, and people were standing there all dressed up as if for an Ancient Egyptian costume party, looking up expectantly.at who? At him?  
  
He shook his head to clear it and regretted it immediately when the pain came back with a vengeance. This time, he opened his eyes to more and more darkness. Just before everything went black, he thought he heard a voice say, "Be creative, he said."  
  
Oddly, his last coherent thought was whether Mokuba left any cookies for him.  
  
  
  
Heh. Finally updated~ whee! First, let me say that I have No Earthly Idea whether a) Yamis can exist physically outside their Millennium Items, or b) whether they can control their own. But for Authoress' Purposes **evil laugh**  
  
Oh and I'm NOT deliberately trying to bash Kaiba in any way **sniff** how COULD I? **koff**  
  
So, I hope I've been keeping the characters, well, as themselves so far and THANKS FOR REVIEWING~!!! **tears** You don't have to, but still, it's neat and it does this warm fuzzy feeling thing~ 


	4. Ch 4

A/N: All right! An update!! Due to a government-based institution where groups of unwilling adolescents are being crammed with something called 'knollige', I haven't been able to update as often as I wish _ but still~ Hope ya enjoy this.  
  
Disclaimer: **ew. I hate this hate this** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters thereof, but I have spotted a purple/blue trench coat looking suspiciously like a certain character's lately and That will soon be mine~ **evil smile**  
  
  
  
Open Sesame - Ch. 4  
  
  
  
"Stand back from the oven, you don't want to get burnt," Gramps warned, as he opened the big oven.  
  
"Mmm, that smells good."  
  
"Well, go and get yourself burnt then, Joey Wheeler, you and your appetite.MOKUBA!" Téa scolded, just catching the younger Kaiba reaching for a fresh cookie.  
  
"I just wanted my big brother to try a cookie I made." Mokuba pouted guiltily. Shooting an accusing glance at the closed storeroom door, he added quietly, "He's been in there for a long time."  
  
"Here." Yugi gingerly dished up a couple of the 'weird-looking' cookies that were Mokuba's creation. "Take these in, and ask if he wants a break from his work. We could use his help out here."  
  
"Okay!" Beaming proudly now, Mokuba walked carefully, balancing plate with one hand and chef's hat askew on top of his black spiky hair. It took a while, but he finally fumbled the door open. Kaiba had his back towards the door, and seemed to be typing away at something.  
  
"Seto! Look, I baked cookies!" Mokuba thrust the plate under his big brother's nose and waited for him to take one. And hopefully, praise it.  
  
"What is this? Can't you see I'm busy?"  
  
Mokuba flinched and took a step back in surprise. Sure, he'd heard his big brother use that cold tone of voice before.but never to him! Maybe he has been working way too hard, he mused. "Seto! It's me, Mokuba! And here are the cookies I baked just now!" He held out the plate again, expecting his big brother to wake up from whatever work-mode he was in -  
  
Kaiba flung out a hand and dashed the plate, cookies and all to the floor.  
  
The younger Kaiba just stood there, shocked into silence. My - MY - big brother? He doesn't act like this though, what? And Why? He didn't want to look at Seto, afraid of what he might see in his face.  
  
"Mokuba. Oh, sh-crap." Suddenly, Kaiba was on all fours, picking up the fallen pieces of cookies. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me - Mokuba?"  
  
Mokuba regarded his brother suspiciously for a moment, then retrieved the plate (which had been plastic, fortunately, and had not been shattered). "You've been working too hard again," he said, pointing an accusing finger at the laptop. To himself, he thought, Yeah, that's why he's acting weird. My big brother works too much!  
  
Seto only looked guiltily to his work to Mokuba and back again. "I know. But someone has to do it all, and if I don't get it done, who will?"  
  
"That's no excuse." Mokuba could be stubborn when he chose to be. "You need to come out and bake cookies, to make up for the ones you messed up! C'mon, Seto!"  
  
For a second, Seto looked like he was going to give in, but then his cell phone rang. Mokuba scowled, crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. After listening for a few moments, Seto covered the mouthpiece and said, "Why don't you go outside and wait for me, Mokuba? This might take me a while." When his little brother continued to give him the You're- Guilty-and-You-Know-It look, he sighed and said, "Please?"  
  
"All right. But only if you promise to make it up to me," Mokuba conceded grudgingly. As he walked back out the door, he shook his finger at his big brother, "And I don't forget, Seto!"  
  
  
  
The minute Mokuba had his back turned and was out the door, a slow calculating smile spread across Kaiba's face. "Continue," he said into the cell phone, "I want 7 of them. It doesn't matter what they are as long as they're from that time period. Have them at the main Kaiba Corp office within an hour."  
  
As he cut off the connection, Yami Bakura sauntered in, shaking his mane of white hair and tsk-ing. "Now what?" Kaiba snapped coldly. "What grand flaw have you ferreted out this time?"  
  
"I just went to the warehouse and guess what I found." Yami Bakura was in no hurry. "Let me say this: Surely the discovery of 2 soulless, seemingly dead bodies will cause no suspicion at all in this mortal world. After all, mortals are found soulless by the dozen daily."  
  
"Your point being?"  
  
Yami Bakura bared his teeth. "Don't worry. I handled everything."  
  
The taller figure glared at the amused smirking one. "Very well then. Let's go. There is no time to waste if we are to accomplish this." Snapping the laptop shut, he headed towards the back door and was about to open it when something compelled him to step back, scribble a hasty note and leave it on the 'desk'.  
  
When they were both outside, Yami Bakura sneered, "And what, pray tell, was the meaning of that? Leaving a note? How sentimental of you."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
  
  
A/N: Whoo yah~ Sorry this IS such a short update, but while I kinda-sorta know where all this is going, I still hafta figure out how, soo be merciful. Thanks for all those who reviewed **gives everyone who did cookies ^^** but again, it's fine by me if you don't. Heck, I'll be happy if you read it~  
  
Oh and by the by, I love Yami B, but I've always wanted someone to tell him to shut up, just the for the heck of it. Just a little thing of mine, nothing more~ 


	5. Ch 5

**whew!!** Another long long long update, but hey, I have a problem figuring out where I should stop. The story's -getting there- though exactly where I haven't decided yet **grins evilly** But I think the whole plot's pretty transparent. Heh. Bear with me, ok?  
  
----------Thanks and K-poozi to all who reviewed, but again, if you're not snoring by the third sentence of this tale, I'm happy. ^^----------  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Yep. Since I practically own the whole world, I naturally own Yu-Gi-Oh too. (actually I'm waiting for the little green men Out There to deliver this anime to me but that's another boring irrelevant tale)  
  
  
  
Ch. 5 (Wow! 5!!)  
  
  
  
Look at all the lights. He blinked, and when the dots dancing across his vision faded, he could make out shiny surfaces. Steel. He was lying on a table of steel. And it was cold in this place; he could feel the cold of the table seeping into him. Getting up carefully, he looked around. Large screens were set up all over this strange - yet familiar - place, but they were all filled with static and were silent. Everything was all electronic and metallic, all turned off but humming silently nevertheless.  
  
Rubbing his arm distractedly and wondering why it didn't hurt - was it supposed to? - he took a tour of the room, his footsteps echoing across the immaculate floor. So cold, but it was a familiar cold. He knew this place, but also knew he had never been here before. He scowled, hating the fact that he didn't know something. The light came from nowhere that he could see, but it reflected pale blue on the surfaces.  
  
He nearly stumbled over a sturdy wooden table, the kind that little kids play at in cozy houses with fireplaces. He smiled to himself at this thought: he sure never had a cozy childhood like that. Then, he caught his breath as he saw what was on the table.  
  
A worn and second-hand chess set, some of the pieces half tumbled over. A battered and old teddy bear with a blue beret askew on its patched head. A childish picture frame made with Popsicle sticks encasing the same photo he now wore around his neck. Even then, he'd decorated the simple frame with doodles of what looked like white dragons.  
  
What is going on here?  
  
As if in answer to his unasked question, the screens flickered and the static cleared, showing a view of Domino City as seen from the window of a tall building. The window in his office at Kaiba Corp, to be exact. Then, the scene changed and he was looking at the dimly lit interior of an old warehouse. He was holding something, a small handful of cards - for some reason they reminded him of Pegasus, of all things -  
  
What the heck?  
  
  
  
Isis Ishtar frowned as she watched her younger brother pace the room furiously, waving his arms and ranting.  
  
"Malik. Calm down. You've just gotten back from the airport; sit down and control yourself. You're scaring me."  
  
The tanned youth stopped in mid-rant and whirled to face his sister. "Calm down. Calm Down?!" he hissed. "When that -thing- is loose again?"  
  
"You've just gotten back-"  
  
"Yes, and again, YES, Isis I've checked the security vaults and whatever that is down there, it's-not-the-Millennium-Rod!" A deranged note had entered Malik's voice. "And we've got to find it. Now. And you're not taking me seriously!"  
  
"Malik. I am taking you very seriously. But how can you expect anyone else to when you bust into the vaults like a mad man, shrieking curses in Egyptian and looking like - like" She floundered for the appropriate word and finally settled on "like a lunatic."  
  
"Yes but soon there will be one more very dangerous lunatic wandering around with the Millennium Rod and THAT" bang of a fist on the table "makes all the difference."  
  
Isis sighed and gave her brother a reproachful glance. Malik scowled, but slowly eased himself into a chair. "All right. I suppose that doesn't justify what I did."  
  
"Malik, you're the only one I know who beats up his own security guards and breaks into his own museum."  
  
He scowled even deeper and sunk into a sullen silence.  
  
"And how do you propose we find the Millennium Rod? Millions of people are out there, and for all our resources, the one person who has the Item will be the one least likely to give himself up. And don't" here she held up a hand to stop any outburst from her impetuous brother "Do not even think that we are going to break into every likely suspect's house and demand to search for it."  
  
Malik thought for a while, then got up and started pacing again. "The Millennium Rod doesn't stay dormant for long," he said at last in a low voice, "Sooner or later, it'll announce itself to the world, and usually with blood."  
  
Isis was about to reply when the intercom buzzed and the secretary's voice said, "A phone call for you, Miss. I think it's Mr. Kaiba. Shall I patch him through?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Kaiba's familiar voice came on. "Isis. I'm afraid a couple of disturbing incidents have occurred. Someone - or some organization - has broken into no less than 6 different museums and artifact galleries within the past few days or so. Oddly enough, all the above museums had Ancient Egyptian-related objects on display." here he paused, as if searching for the information he wanted "You might find this interesting: Four of the six branches belong to you and your brother, and every branch broken into is missing one artifact. Just one."  
  
Isis sat in shocked silence for a while, and looked up to see Malik's violet eyes saying I-told-you-so.  
  
"Are you there, Isis?"  
  
"Y-yes. Just unpleasantly surprised. Is that all the information you have on these break-ins?"  
  
"They all happened when you transferred the security data to me for check-up not too long ago. Perhaps whoever it was took advantage of that fact."  
  
Malik smirked. That was about as close an apology as the Ishtars were going to get from the CEO. "Was there anything particularly 'disturbing' about these break-ins, Kaiba? Like, bodies for example?"  
  
He saw his sister wince. Well, yeah, that was a rather dramatic example, but with the Millennium Rod, one could never be sure.. Malik drummed his fingers.  
  
"Malik? Now that you mention it," Kaiba was sounding uncomfortable reporting to someone else for a change "The burglars did murder some security guards. Six bodies have been found in scattered locations near the scene of crime. From what the hysterical museum clerk tried to tell me, I assume they were pretty much slaughtered."  
  
Silence.  
  
Malik and Isis exchanged very worried looks.  
  
"That's all I have here right now. You'll find more pertaining details with your head of security - and the police want a talk with you as well. Do you want your data back from me?"  
  
"Yes - no." Isis thought it over. "No. I think it will be much safer out of our hands. Someone, as you've said, seems to be targeting us for something. I'd be grateful if you kept it for now."  
  
"Very well. In that case - "  
  
"Do whatever is necessary. And, thank you."  
  
"I'll meet you outside the main Ishtar branch at 8 to give you the file on the break-ins."  
  
"Fine by me." Isis was already imagining possible worst-case- scenarios on the havoc the current holder of the Millennium Rod could wreck in those few hours until then.  
  
"See you then."  
  
Malik turned to face his sister after Kaiba had hung up. "I think that's where we should start searching for the Rod. Alone." With a bitter laugh, he added, "Makes sense that he'd come after us first."  
  
"No." Isis began dialing another number. "Not alone. Perhaps Yugi - or his other self - may be able to shed more light on all of this."  
  
When his sister got that Look on her face, Malik knew better than to argue. He doubted Yugi could do much of anything though.  
  
  
  
----meanwhile----  
  
  
  
Ryou woke up and found himself lying on his couch at home. How odd, he thought as he got up and straightened himself out, I don't remember coming home. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced up at the clock and was surprised to find that it was already 7 p.m.  
  
"But I don't remember a single thing," he mused, frowning; checking his watch to make sure the clock wasn't just going weird. He recalled the bake sale but that was it. Feeling a bit hungry, he went to the kitchen to fix something to eat, pondering this problem. He used to have these memory blanks every once in a while, but that'd stopped after Yugi and Battle City came along -  
  
"Why, what's this?" Ryou peered at the long steak knife lying in the sink and scratched his face confusedly (A/N: He does this, really! And he's so cute when he does!). Then he sighed resignedly and decided it must be another gap in his memory.  
  
"Alzheimer's at my age?" he shook his head as he began washing the miscellaneous dishes. "Ryou, what am I going to do with you?"  
  
But even so, he hesitated slightly before putting that long knife away. That was one thing he wasn't sure he could just chalk up to a memory problem. The small radio in the kitchen was on and the news announcer was sputtering something about a murderous thief after artifacts in between bursts of static. He shut off the old radio, feeling slightly depressed about all the bad things that were being broadcasted and put the knife away. As he did so, he knocked over a small pile of unfamiliar, addressed envelopes on the counter.  
  
He scratched his face again, and mentally kicked himself for another memory gap.  
  
Maybe he'd go pay Yugi a visit tomorrow, and get around to mailing those letters.  
  
  
  
---8pm, outside the Ishtar Historical Museum, main branch---  
  
  
  
"By Ra, Osiris and all the gods above," Isis said in a hushed voice. "Ramon, this- there's no way- but why?"  
  
"What were you expecting, Isis?!" Malik was grimly surveying the 'carnage', and Isis noted he was almost satisfied that his gruesome prediction had come true. "At least this gives us something to go on when we're looking for It."  
  
The six bodies had been found and laid on the stretchers to be taken to the hospital for autopsy. Not that it was necessary, Isis shuddered inwardly, Only some very sick person - or someone under a sick influence - would mutilate anyone like this.  
  
"Where's Kaiba? He said he would be here at this time and it's not like him to be late," she said finally, trying to avoid looking at the now covered bodies.  
  
The burly head of security handed Isis a manila file. "Miss Ishtar. Mr. Kaiba came by earlier and said something came up suddenly, so he asked me to give this to you. He looked rather worn-out and acted as if it was a matter of utmost importance that you get this." Ramon was looking puzzled. "He told me to tell you 'Read the back'."  
  
Overhearing all of this, Malik scoffed. "Really." He glanced back over at the bodies, almost hungrily. "It's out there, and finding It is our first priority."  
  
"He looked unlike himself." Ramon shrugged. "I supposed you would be able to make sense of all of this." Then his walkie-talkie buzzed and he turned to bark some orders.  
  
Isis flipped through the papers detailing losses and insurance coverage and then, way at the back were Kaiba's own handwritten notes. She checked the back of every sheet, but came up with nothing - until she came to the inside back of the folder.  
  
A plain white envelope had been taped hastily to the back.  
  
A small slip of paper fluttered out, followed by a blank card. Catching the paper, Isis made out the un-Kaiba-like scrawl:  
  
"Soul less - Pharoah"  
  
Well, that's it for now~ But it *will* start to make sense (hopefully) soon!! (Rather, as soon as I finish all that Other Stuff I was supposed to be doing -__-`````` ) 


End file.
